Come on in, the water’s lovely! Incredible hidden pool nestled in the mountains of Iceland is filled by a hot spring and free to use

•     The hidden pool of Seljavallalaug is free for those who stumble upon it at the base of a valley near Seljavellir
•     The turquoise haven is cleaned and maintained by volunteers who make sure it free from ice after winter
•     It is a protected site, and was built in 1923 to teach Icelanders to swim, making it one of Iceland’s oldest pools

There is having a swim, and then there is having a dip in a deserted pool nestled in one of Iceland’s most picturesque valleys.

The hidden pool of Seljavallalaug is one of Iceland’s best kept secrets, and is filled with hot spring water which trickles down from Eyjafjallajökull, which consists of a volcano completely covered by an ice cap.

Built at the beginning of the 20th century to teach locals how to swim, the tranquil pool is now a protected site, and is free for adventurers to find and experience.

Hidden wonder! Seljavallalaug is a secret pool in Iceland and is a free swimming haven for those adventurous enough to discover it in a valley near near Seljavellir

The turquoise haven is free for anyone to use, and relies on donations and volunteers to keep it clean and safe to swim in

 
The pool was originally built to teach Icelanders how to swim in the early 20th century, as fishing formed a large part of their livelihood

To find this mysterious pool, swimmers have to weave through the mountains down an uneven track that appears to lead to nowhere.

 However at the base of the valley, near Seljavellir, visitors will stumble upon the 82ft pool, which comes complete with its own changing facilities.

 The turquoise haven (left) varies in colour throughout the year, and a dedicated team of volunteers are on hand to keep it clean from volcanic ash from Eyjafjallajökull. The pool can be found in the south of Iceland near Seljavellir (right)

Warmer than it looks! The pool may appear chilly but it is actually heated from hot spring water that trickles from Eyjafjallajökull

he pool even has its own changing facilities for guests to store their belongings while they have a dip

When it was first constructed in 1923, the purpose of the secret pool was to teach Icelanders how to swim, a vital skill considering many of the lived off fishing.

Nowadays Icelanders cannot graduate school without first passing a swim test, and Seljavallalaug is reserved for plucky explorers who are intent on finding the secret pool.

Due to volcanic eruptions in 2010, the pool was temporarily out of action due to ash deposits.

Thankfully this was cleared away using loaders and extractors, and explorers could once again venture to Seljavallalaug for a dip.
source:maildaily.net